Hawkeye Blog May 2016 May 23, 2016

People watching is an interesting pastime in Nepal because of the variety of activities and attire. This woman sitting on a street corner in Kathmandu was very remindful of a Navajo elder in the American west.

Boudhanath Stupa is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet. It was built in the 14th century. A stupa is a round edifice that usually contains Buddhist relics. The faithful who visit walk around the stupa three times praying, usually fingering prayer beads. The woman in the foreground has a prayer wheel which helps her concentrate on her prayers.

Prayer bells are an important feature in Buddhist temples. One can pray and run their hand along the bells as they walk.

The Sadhus are Hindu holy men who have abandoned a life of ease and material goods. They meditate and rely on the generosity of others for their basic needs.

Swayambhunath Stupa was already an important pilgrimage site by the 5th century AD. It is called The Monkey Temple because of the hundreds of monkeys that have settled there.